Impact of Over-Learning and Parents Meddlesomeness on Academic Performance of Private Primary School Pupils’ in Owerri North, Imo State

Abstract

This study investigated Impact of over-learning and parents’ meddlesomeness on academic performance of private primary school pupils’ in Owerri North, Imo State The study adopted descriptive survey design and four research questions were asked to guide the study. The population of the study comprised all basic 3-6 parents of pupils in the selected schools, giving a total of five hundred and thirty-seven (537). The sample size for the study comprised three hundred (300) respondents, randomly drawn from the study population. Two instruments titled: Identification of Over-learning Among Pupils Rating Scale (IOSPRS) and Identification Pupils with Parents Meddlesomeness Rating Scale (IOPPMRS) were used for data collection. The IOSPRS and IOPPMRS were face and content validated by experts in Child Psychology and Education Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability coefficient of the instruments IOSPRS and IOPPMRS were estimated using Cronbach Alpha Statistics as 0.78 and 0.82 respectively while that of temporal stability were estimated using test re-test approach and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Formula as 0.89 and 0.90 respectively. Mean, standard deviation and proportion were used to answer the research questions while the z-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance. The findings showed that: a proportion of 41% pupils from the sample size (300) were found to be undergoing over schooling which significantly differ with the proportion of the pupils 59% undergoing normal schooling; the cumulative mean score of the pupils Undergoing normal learning was found to be significantly higher than pupils undergoing over-learning. Also, it was found that the proportion of pupils whose parents meddle with their learning was 31% and pupils whose parents do not meddle with their learning was 69%. Therefore, it was recommended that school authorities through the PTA forum should enlighten parents on the dangers of over-learning and parental meddlesomeness among others.